Broken Reflection

Chapter 15

Hailstorm collided with a DayClan cat. He clawed, got to his paws, and saw Bristlepine flinch away in surprise.

The DayClan deputy let out a hiss. "What are you doing?" he exclaimed, clearing shocked. Hailstorm didn't answer. In the heartbeat it took Bristlepine to ask him that question, Hailstorm was on top of him, dragging him into the dirt.

Then pain exploded in his side like fire as claws met his flesh. He let out a loud hiss and clawed at the place where the DayClan deputy was. But Hailstorm's claws raked nothing but air. He looked around desperately as the cat's claws dug deeper, and he saw Flamepaw dragging him away from the DayClan deputy. Hailstorm whipped his body around to face her and kicked his back legs as hard as he could. He missed his mark, and Flamepaw dodged aside. Hailstorm leapt to his paws and launched himself at her. But she was ready. Hailstorm lost his balance and hit the ground hard.

"Are you a warrior or not?" Flamepaw taunted. "Fight like a real cat!"

Hailstorm felt anger surge inside him. He spun around and ran at the apprentice; he bowled her over and pushed her into a boulder. She kicked him hard as he tried to claw at her stomach, and Hailstorm felt her claws rake across his face; he let out a howl of pain and flinched away. He could feel the raw, red skin stinging on his face, and he scrunched up his eyes.

Then Flamepaw was on top of him. Hailstorm rolled over, but she was already on her feet again and slashing at him. Hailstorm blocked her blow, only to find that she was ready yet again. He tried to get to his paws, but she pushed him back over, taunting him again.

StarClan help!

Hailstorm let out a grunt of pain as his head hit the dirt. Why was she so good at fighting? She was only an apprentice!

Flamepaw suddenly let out a squeal. Hailstorm leapt to his paws and whipped around. Creekfall was wrestling her to the ground, hissing and spitting. Dust clouded around them as the two cats rolled over and over, claw marks appearing on their pelts.

Then Creekfall glanced at Hailstorm, gray eyes wide. "Find the kits!"

Hailstorm raced away, letting Creekfall finish Flamepaw. Creekfall was right; he needed to find Cherrykit and Lilackit; he was on the kit-rescue patrol!

"Fox-hearts! No!" Hawktuft, a brown-furred DayClan warrior, suddenly hollered from behind a gorse bush. Hailstorm turned to see what she was looking at, dust blurring his vision.

Orangestar, the DuskClan cats, and Eaglefeather, Aspenleaf, Sagetail, and Bronzepelt were racing into the DayClan camp, yowling in rage as they extended their claws and flew into the battle.

"There's more coming!" Bristlepine snarled, leaping onto a boulder with Applefang beside him. "They're DuskClan cats! DayClan, stand strong! Hold your ground!"

"We're outnumbered!" a dark tortoiseshell DayClan elder yowled, her eyes wide as she stood frightfully beside an old, yellow tabby she-cat.

"Patchnose, Nectarleaf, move!" yowled Weedfoot to the two elders, shoving them aside.

Foxfang's angry howl sounded above the rest as Gingerfur raced at him, tackling him viciously to the ground. "What should we do, Rainstar?" he hollered as he desperately squirmed beneath Gingerfur's sharp grip.

Hailstorm looked around through the masses of fighting cats around him, but he couldn't spot the white and black pelt of the DayClan leader. Where is Rainstar?

A DuskClan cat suddenly raced by Hailstorm, yowling in anger as she flung herself at a DayClan cat. Hailstorm shook away his thoughts of Rainstar and looked up at the hill outside the DayClan camp. The DuskClan cats continued to flood in with the remaining DawnClan warriors at their sides, pouring over the hilltop and flying into the thick of the battle. Hailstorm yowled in triumph as the DayClan cats scattered in confusion, weakened at the shock of DuskClan attacking as well as DawnClan.